After almost twenty years of writing and publishing short stories, one in particular took a life of its own.
One short story that defied all the odds.
It started with an Instagram DM from an editor at The Markaz Review, who asked me if I was interested in submitting a story for their upcoming edition.
I was intrigued. I mulled it over. Do I really have time to write yet another story amidst all the hustle and bustle of running a business and raising three kids?
Eventually, I decided to resurrect one of my short stories that I had shelved away in a messy drawer in the underworld.
I picked up the Agency, a story about a Jordanian woman who runs a matchmaking agency in Amman. I spent half a day editing it and then submitted it to the editor.
I heard from the editor a few days later, and to my surprise, it was accepted, and also, to my surprise, I got paid for it.
It can't get better than that, right?
Well, no, I was mistaken.
A few months after publishing the story, I was contacted by the editor-in-chief of The Markaz Review, who told me that my story was selected to appear in an anthology that would be published by the San Francisco-based publisher City Lights. Of course, I jumped on this opportunity and did a little dance.
This little story of mine was going places.
As days and months passed, I forgot about it, but when the book publishing day started coming near, I decided to look up the list of the other writers who were inluded int the anthology that was dubbed Stories from the center of the world . That’s when I realized that I was included among some of the top Arab and Arab American writers out there.
Sweet! I’m in a great company.
And then the reviews started coming in.
"A lively and diverse set of tales from a complex region."--said Kirkus Review, which mentioned my story, specifically saying: "Natasha Tynes' satirical "The Agency" turns on a Jordanian matchmaker and her impossibly demanding and sexist clients."
Meanwhile, Booklist gave it a starred review "A deeply satisfying collection showcasing an array of brilliant writers who deserve to be better known. . . . Whether personifying the chaos of the Israeli occupation of Palestine as actual madness or poking fun at the remnants of British colonialism in Egypt, many of the stories confound common stereotypes about the region."
Then came the book tour across the US, where the book's editor, Jordan ElGrably would be touring various US cities to promote the book, with some writers joining him.
I will be joining him at the DC part of the tour.
Suffice to say, I'm blown away.
I'm blown away by how this short story of mine, which had been shelved away for so many years, is now part of something magnificent.
I'm blown away that sometimes things happen when we least expect them.
I'm blown away by that short story that could.
Keep writing, my friends. You never know what awaits you.
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Thank you for this - and for your positive spirit of 'don't give up' - 'keep writing' -- yes ... we will! :-) [And mabrook ofcourse on The little story that could - and did - and might till do more!}
That's amazing for you! ❤️ you never know what opportunities will come round the corner in life